Evening star. [volume], October 25, 1934, Page A-8, Image 8

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

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THE EVENING STAR
With Sunday Morning Edition.
WASHINGTON, B.C.
THURSDAY.. .October 2t, 1834
THEODORE W. NOTES.. Editor
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Burying the Hatchet.
If the bankers came to Washington
%ith a bright and sharpened hatchet,
the spirit of their convention changed
It from an instrument of war to a
symbol of peace. A pleasant cere
mony was completed last evening when
the President accepted the hatchet
In the spirit with which it was of
fered and. in keeping with the tradi
tional proprieties, buried it.
That was the tenor of the Presi
dent'* speech. The "old lallacious
notion of the bankers on the one
side and the Government on the other
as more or less equal and independent
units has passed away." Necessity, in
addition to being the mother of in
Yention. also breeds leadership. The
necessities have made government the
leader, "the judge of the conflicting
interests of all groups in the com
munity, including: bankers." This
leadership has been used, and will
continue to be used, in relation to
banks, to promote the confidence of
the people in the banks; to make the
confidence a "real and living thing"
by assisting the banks to render their
useful and worthy services to the
people. And there is a third and
equally important goal of leadership
which the Government is now trying
tn reach. It is to encourage the "con
fidence of the banks in the people."
A few days ago Francis Marion Law,
the retiring president of the American
Bankers' Association, suggested that
there is "hardly a sane banker in the
country who is not only willing, but
anxious to make good loans." The ex
isting impediments to a more freely
flowing credit, he said, were not to be
found in the attitude of the banks,
but In the timidity of the borrower.
Last night the President devoted the
major part of his address to the de
velopment of the thesis that, with
confidence of the people in their banks
restored, the essential thing now is
restoration of the confidence of the
banks in the people. In this he shared
the view of Jesse H. Jones, chairman
of the Reconstruction Finance Cor
poration, that the banks, more than
the borrowers, are to be blamed for
the delay in lending.
It is reasonable to believe that a
state of mind which afflicts both
banker and borrower, denying to each
the confidence in what the immediate
future has in store for them, has de
layed that free flow of credit which
has been and remains one of the chief
hopes of recovery. The President in
directly addressed himself to this state
of mind last night in discussing some
of the objectives of government now
in relation to banking. The vast
reservoirs of Government credit,
hastily constructed to supply the needs
which the banks could not extend, are
temporary. The Government expects
that as the "banks will resume their
responsibility and lake up the burden
that the Government has assumed
through its credit agencies" it is also
assurneu mai privai* ousineu gen
erally will be financed by the great
credit resources which the present
liquidity of the banks makes possible."
That is the basis for "our traditional
system," and that is the system on
which the Government depends for
recovery.
In his references to the large relief
expenditures and to the "objective of
a greater steadiness" in prices and
values through understandings with
other nations, the President took note of
two sources of criticism of hie policies
and answered It, if not directly or
specifically, in a manner designed to
lessen the fears created by impassioned
statements of extremists. And his own
conception of the profit system will
be generally accepted.
The President was not, however, as
frank or as specific as he might have
been. There was considerable gen
eralizing in his friendly speech. It is
one thing to tell a man there Is no
basis for his lack of confidence, but
it is even better to show him and to
assure him beyond doubt that fears
of such things as inflation, continued
currency manipulation and Govern
ment borrowing, unbalanced budgets
and excessive taxation are in reality
groundless. The President did not go
as far as he might have gone.
Railroad Retirement Decision.
The first decision yet to be rendered
adverse to the constitutionality of New
Deal legislation has been given by the
District Supreme Court on the rail
road pension act. That act provides
for the creation of a retirement fund,
under supervision of a Federal board,
to be supplied by contributions, two
thirds from the carriers and one-third
from the employe·. Suit to teet the
constitutionality of the act was
brought by one hundred and thirty
four of the leading railroads of the
country, contending that Congress
exceeded its powers under the Con
stitution In compelling the main
t
tenance of « fund for the benefit of
all of their employe·, whereat approxi
mately one-fifth of them are engaged
In work that la not rel&ted to Inter
state commerce. The court accepts
this view, declaring: "The retirement
act confer· 1U benefits upon all em
ployes of any company to which it
relates, without retard to distinction
between Interstate commerce, intra
state commerce or activities which
do not constitute commerce at an."
Thus the ralMlty of this feature of
the New Deal legislation is denied in
the court of first instance. This de
cision will of course be reviewed. In
the Court of Appeals and finally In the
Supreme Court. It is not altogether a
clear-cut definition, as affects the con
stitutionality of the majority of the
laws enacted In this present program
which have been challenged In court
For there is a special condition in
volved, In the distinction between the
beneficiaries of the retirement system
who are workers In interstate com
merce and those who are not. The
higher court may disagree with the
ruling that this distinction of service
governs, if the employing corporation,
in one organization form or another,
is primarily and mainly enfaffd in
interstate commerce service.
The decision is notable in that it is
the first in denial of the validity of one
feature of the series of Federal legis
lative enactments which constitute the ι
legal structure of the New Deal. It
may, however, not prove to be an index
to the disposition of the highest court
in regard to the vital principle of con
stitutionality. Its importance is lim
ited to the degree that it may reflect
the judicial view in the broadest sense.
Oil and the Open Door.
While Great Britain and the United
States are In virtual deadlock with
Japan at London over the latter's
si*nrmnsi frvm naval emialitv th» IT η υ - I
lish-speaking power» have suddenly
become Immersed in a controversy
with the Tokio government over the
open door in China—the keystone of
American policy In the Fir Eut ever
since Secretary of State John Hay
enunciated the doctrine a quarter of
a century ago.
Oil la the cause oi the Imbroglio,
which so far has led only to informal
diplomatic representations, but may
at any moment assume firmer form.
At issue is the projected state oil
monopoly in Manchoukuo with Britain
and the United States alleging a
v'olation of their treaty rights. Hie
Western powers maintain that the
monopoly would undermine the whole
principle of the open door and in
particular run counter to article three
of the nine-power treaty guaranteeing
full equality of trade opportunity in
China, including, of course, the former
Province of Manchuria, which is now
the "Empire of Manchoukuo." The
Standard Oil Co. of New York and
the British Asiatic Petro'eum Co.,
which possess profitable refining and
distributing systems In Manchoukuo.
contend that if the monopoly la
Instituted they will practically be
driven out of business In tht territory
in question.
The oil corporations Insist that the
Japanese government itself la a party
to the alleged treaty violation because
It holds forty per cent of the Manchuria
Oil Co.'s stock and nfty per cent of the
stock of the South Manchutian Rail
way. According to the plar.s against
which the Western interests are pro
testing the Manchuria Oil Co., to
which the monopoly would be given,
would purchase from foreign com
panies crude oil for its refineries and
such refined oil as Manchoukuo re
quires, the net effect being to elimi
nate the foreigners as distributors and
retailers.
Besides the dispute over the oil
market· of Manchoukuo, the British
and Americans assert that Japan's
new oil-control law Is unfairly dis
criminatory. It calls upon them to
store in Japan supplies equal to a
half-year's sales, thus Insuring large
stocks available to the government in
the event of war.
Japan has given repeated assurance
to the outside world, since the Incep
tion of the Manchurian adventure in
1931, and especially since the crea
tion of Manchoukuo, that the open
door principle would remain Inviolate.
The oil incident would seem to afford
Tokio «η opportunity for practical
fulfillment of that pledge. The con
troversy has no direct connection with
Japan'* demand for naval parity, but
it throws some light on the commer
cial, political and strategic situation
that might confront the West it ex
panded se» power made Japan even
more irresistible than she already is
in the Far East.
Cvery banker must study the inti
mate problems of his own community.
Yet human nature is a sufficiently
stable quantity to ir.ake it worth
while for bankers to assemble sod
compare note*.
_J ,,,
Bed Tape and Red Lights.
A preposterous situation exists at
the airport which aerves Washington,
consisting of a combination of two
fields between which runs a road un
der the jurisdiction of the Army. Fail
ure of plans to combine the two fields
with the elimination of this road,
which is open to public travel, leaves
the highway a menace both to vehicles
using it and to planes arriving at and
departing from the airport. Recently,
as a means of lessening the danger,
the superintendent of the port estab
lished traffic lights on the road, to be
set at "Stop" when planes were ap
proaching. He had no authority to do
so, but assumed it in the interest of
aecurity against accident. A teat of
the legality of the lights came recently
when an Army truck ran through a
'■Jed" signal and narrowly escaped
collision with a plane. Protest sent
to the commandant at Fort M.ver with
the request that the Army vehicles be
compelled to obey the signals elicited
a demand for information on the score
of the authority by which the lights
were Installed.
Thus the case stands. The road
1 cannot be safeguarded unless the
M
Army consents and the Army docs not
consent. It remain* in fact u In
nam· k "Military road." It ta not
vitally essential to Army use·, aa other
routes to and from the post are avail
able. It is In truth a superfluous line
of travel and highly dangerous so long
as the airport ta maintained In Its
present situation.
Pending the adoption of final plana
for the development of a proper air
port for Washington, by the physical
combination of the two fields now
used, or by the creation of a new
field to the southward, there should
certainly be some adjustment of au
thority that will permit the safe
guarding of the highway both as
to its users and the air patrons of
the fields. Meticulous insistence upon
the rigid letter of road control, to
the point of denying the right to put
up safety lights that must be observed,
does not ex» tribu le ιο the public
security and does not appreciably ad
vantage the Army.
A common-sense solution of the
problem would lie In the recognition
of the necessity for the lights, even
though the initiative was taken by the
airport authorities, rather than the
nilltary. But that would only abate
the danger. It would not make the
airport satisfactory or adequate. There
must be an early decision on the
score of the establishment Itself. The
safety-light question plainly points to
that as a public necessity. '
A philanthropic gesture was made
by Huey Long in sending students to
a foot ball game. A certain amount
of foot ball spirit might be worth
controlling in case of a local political
clash.
Arithmetic is the basis of eco
nomic science and all any budget
balancing needs is a process of evolu
tion that will prevent the subtrahend
from growing larger than the
minuend.
Brilliant performances by the au
thorlties in capturing criminals meet
with applause that must encourage
them to embrace the numerous oppor
tunities to take encores.
Prof. Tug we 11 is 111 Rone, whose
ancient agrarian laws are worthy of
study, although Italy herself finds no
modern benefit.
A certain sense of financial en
couragement may be derived from the
fact that the great oil interests feel
able to engage in a gas war.
More direct relief is needed and at
tention may be called to the admirable
success of the Salvation Army in
keeping out of politics.
SH00TI5G STABS.
BY PHILANDER JOHNSON.
Getting Talked A boat.
Elections bring a cruel test
As journeying on through life we gç.
The friend we rated as the beet
Seems for the moment like a foe.
"For office I shall run, my dear,"
Exclaimed the husband fond and
true,
"So please don't notice what you bear
About me for a week or two."
Musical Appreciation.
" Do you enjoy music?"
''Sometimes," answered Senator Sor
ghum. "There's nothing I like more
than * brass band at a political rally
where I am being featured."
Jud Tunkins says he has no desire
to go to Europe. He thinks prosperous
Europeans should be coming orer here
and giving tips to American waiters.
Fictions.
How many disillusions are
Held in life's cup!
Even the motion picture star
Is just made up.
Hardship.
"Many of my friends are starving
and ill clad," said Mica Cayenne.
"Can't you get relief for them?"
"They don't desire relief. They are
obeying the instructions of the dieti
cians and dressmakers."
"If you could stop munitions mak
ing," said Hi Ho, the sage of China
town, "your stout and courageous foot
ball playera might easily become the
muUrt ο f the world."
Cerebral Vacation.
Why should I make an effort strong
To regulate my cares
When some one always comes along
To manage my affairs?
Somebody tells me how to vote
And what to say or sing.
Wherefore should I occasion note
To thinlc of anything?
"Dey tells you dat trouble will im
prove yoh character," said Uncle Eben,
"but tain' no use to tell a flshin' worm
dut either he or de fish is better off
foh be in' hooked."
Fifty States for the
American Union.
From the Pasadena Star-News.
Make way for two more stars on the
United States flag!
Such is the hint heard in present
agitation; and the increase will come,
if it does, not by division of Califor
nia or of Texas, but by admission of
Ala.sk* and Hawaii as full-fledged
members of the Union. They are
America's only remaining Territorie-.
Since 1912, when New Mexico and
Arizona were granted statehood, there
has been no change, in the alignment
of States. Hawaii was formally lilted
as a Territory in 1900. Alaska was
organized under that classification in
1912.
Hawaii and Alaska would profit in
many wayi by such recognition. Self
government of their Internal affairs
would be assured a«d a larger voice
in national discussions and decisions
would be acquired. Incidentally, the
membership of the United State*
Senate would be Increased from M to
100 and the moat western and most
northern Important outposts of the
American Republic would become real
factors in shaping Federal policies.
The country's strength would be
solidified by this mean*.
4
4
, THIS AND THAT ,
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.
It do·· not aecm sufficient nowaday!
that a man be what he Is, in hiinaelf,
and for himself and I or humanity
ι alone.
He also muat be some one else'·
idea of him.
He muat live up to this Idea, even
ι more so than to his own idea of
himself.
This makes it difficult for certain
natures. They pride themselves on
being themselves and do not wish
to be anything else. 'Not that a
change might not be beneficial. But
it is so difficult!
I It seems that a great many human
beings have built up their own idea
of what a standard person should be
like, and they are utterly unwilling
that any one they know should de
part from it.
This idea of theirs is a queer thing.
It seems that they want one way
of dress, one way of talk, one way
of possessions, one way of Ukee and
equally dislike·, one way of mental
and moral characteristics.
* * » »
He who departs from this standard
ever so slightly must answer for it.
Not only answer, he must change, or
the Judge will not like him.
This is a curious streak In hu·
1 manlty, this desire for sameness. It
has cursed mankind all down the ages,
i forcing men who want to be them
selves to give in to it at least enough
to "get along."
Even this departure from themselves
is harmful to them, however, and
they always regret it.
The desire for sameness grows a·
mankind herds Itself into cities. The
eccentric character who was accepted
in the small town or country finds .
himself very much the center of I
eyes in the city. For all the fact
that the city is suppoeed to be in
different, the slightest physical or
mental difference in It draw· wide
spread attention. This the newcomer
feels, until he, too, settles down to
the elty routine, even If it involves
changing himself to meet new condi
tions. .
Every one knows the country lout
or bumpkin who comes to town, at
tracing attention to himself by his
clothes and his wide-open eyes.
Look up this man a year later and
you will sec one who lock* quite
different.
But is he any better?
He is different from the old man.
ana very much like all other men, but
the question remains: Is he any
better?
* » * *
And certainly he is very much less
himself in that he has taken on new
appearances and habits and ways of
thinking, not because he particularly
wanted to do so. but largely because
he had enough common sense to see
that it was the best way to get along.
No one would advocate that such a
fellow should not "Improve" himself; I
the queation is whether he improves
himself by aping others.
It simply is not "the thing" to be
different. Probably this was always
true, that In every age true differences
were frowned upon.
Yet some will believe that the dlf
fusion of knowledge attained today
has led to a far greater degree of
sameness than ever before in the
history of mankind.
So long as this similarity touche· 1
only superficial things. It does good. ι
j but when it changes the inner core
of a man's mind and heart the
1 process Is at leut open to question. '
Among certain persons, li you do
not play bridge you we a tool, or
worse.
The fact that you may prefer the
more ancient game of chess makes no
difference.
You muat play bridge.
They play it. therefore you mast
play it. So runs the argument.
The fact that you rather pride your
self on standing aloof from it shows
them just what a fool you are.
It is the same with anything you
chooae to think about, or human
beings think about.
No choice is permitted.
It is exactly in this refusal that all
freedom of opinion Is taken away and
the essential dignity of the human
soul made sport of.
* * * *
Every human being ought to have
the right of choice, because it is In
freedom of choice that the essential
buman being stands forth. '
It Is the choice between good and
evil that has worried mankind since
It raised its forlegs off the ground.
When any one denies choice, even In
small matters, he denies the sanctity
of the individual buman being. Where
choice la denied, all sorts of mass
wrongs can be put into effect.
Therefore, a denial of choice in little
matters Is no small matter, after all,
but Is seen to be the beginning of
slavery of all sorts. Did any one think
the Civil War actually ended slavery?
There are millions of slaves to other
peoples' opinions and demands that
they hold the same opinions.
Even in our games we must all think
alike. Thus, if one does not like foot
ball, it Is best to keep the heretical
opinion to one's self. As for not liking
bridge, that is treason.
* * * *
Let no one feel that these things
are trivial, that It Is only the large
affairs of life that count.
It is |uat as Important to be one's
self, and thoroughly one's self, in a
small matter as a large one, in so far
as the effect on one's own mind.
Nobody else can tell one what the
effect on the mind will be or is. No
one else can get into another's mind
to find out. now or ever.
The effect of a false belief, however
trivial, of * lip aervlce to small matter,
joe* farther than It seems to go.
It may color the whole of a subse
quent life, though there be no out
ward sign of it. Psychologist* and
psychiatrists can tell about this. Every
man Is two men—what be is to him- ;
self and what he seems to be to other ,
men. Sometimes there is a confusion
between the two. a coming and going
In thought. In which resulting mix-up ι
no true picture of a human being
emerges.
What every one can do. in addition
to sticking up for his own ideas, is to
permit others to stick up for their
own. and not to rush to brand them
with inimical term.· just because they
have no Interest In something or other
in which one happens to be interested. '
No doubt there is a very good reason
for their believing as they do. Maybe
one is mistaken, after all. The thing
Is possible! It is helplul If one brings
tolerance to bear, then in time one
may attain a greater degree of perfec
tion In this matter, to the point that
one honestly prefers differences in
others, rather than agreements. When
this stage is reached man has at
tained perfection in this world. No
doubt that Is why another one is
necessary.
New Deal a Patriotism of the People,
By the People and for the People
To the Editor of The St»r:
There U in our country an un
, healthy feeling with regard to what
lwe call wealtn, a feeling that at
times approach*· actual hostility. This
feeling is directed against a few of
the really wealthy men or against
great corporations. But men, as
such, and corporations, as auch, are
relatively of little consequence, and |
while this feeling of hostility finds
a tangible object of attack in such ,
1 men and In corporations, 1U true j
significance must be sought in a wider |
field, and iU menaces, if any exist,
are not simply against men. but against
I society at large.
We thought until a few year» ago
that both actually and potentially
we were a very wealthy Nation. As
a matter of lact, we have always been
poor and are poor today. The gaunt
ι figure of hunger stalks only a little
way in the rear of erery man and «01
nations. The great contest of all lije
has been for a mere existence; some
thing to eat. It is just as truly the
condition today as it was a hundred
years ago. New York, for examine,
Is supposed to have a supply of food
that would last two weeks if all ex
ternal sources of supply were suddenly
to fall. If we were really wealthy,
the specter of hunger might be re
moved some distance; It can nev*r be
banished. Our country's problem
therefore, broadly stated, is how to
become really wealthy.
To solve this problem the first step
In its solution was and is to seek
more fully the physical conquest of
Nature with the proper control over
production and distribution. The sec
ond istep was and is the full co
operation of capital and labor with
one another and with our Govern
ment. . ,
We have learned many secrets from
Nature, which we have turned into
account. We have used the winds, the
tides, the Reasons. We have devel
oped chemistry and mechanics, and
little by little we have gone forward,
only to fall back, and then advance
again, until a few years since we
thought we had in some senses not
only the earth, but the solar system
in our grasp, or, if not in our grasp,
at least spread out before us in such
a manner that further secrets would
be learned. But again we fell back—
and oh, what a fall! And agfcln we ,
are advancing. I
The contest of nature has always
been intricate and painful, not only
because the contests are unequal, but |
because men have never been fully]
able to understand one another, we
grow rich, then we throw the riches
away. We accumulate power and use
It to crush others.
But there is reason to believe that,
a new idea is at work in our country |
today. The new idea—new in the ι
sensé that it is now really making
itself felt—is;
The New Deal, a new process initi
ated by our Government under the
leadership of Franklin D. Roosevelt, is
a co-opsrattve alliance that com pre- t
hands all the leading forces of mod
ern life. This idea, with the neces
sary modification, if carried to a prop
er conclusion will bring about a u>Wt
of co-operation in all walk· of life,
and brinr men in «olid rank· for the
benefit of our Nation solely. The
wealth added to such an alliance is
beyond calculation. That the gaunt j
figure of hunger will be pushed back
and the burden of fear that rott
upon the hearts of cur people i"^11 **
lightened by this piece* I» **»°
yond calculation.
The hope of the people and our
country Is in tlw wee·· ef ϋύ· Ρ*®· I
1
\
jram. It-» a real form of co-opera
tion. Tjs methods are good. It ha·
sin ideal. It has called into use the
Best organizing ability, the beat meth
ods: it links men together in a com
munity of interest. It is not an Me»
[or a dav or an hour: It doc» not stand
in simpl* negation: it take* a broader
new. It looks at the picture of our
rounti7 today and sees the significance ι
af an alliance between our Govern- I
ment and all tilt social, financial and
Industrial institutions of our Nation. 1
[t also takes into account a co-opera
Lion which includes the study of the |
past, the duty of the present and a
plan for the future. It is an expre»- ι
(ion of an idea that is unselfish and
peaceable, yet having a militant aide. .
This idea preaches the doctrine of a I
square deal, and at the same time j
,'igoruuslv attacks unfair practices and
rice· of 'he business world. The period
Df organization seems to be drawing
lo a cloae. and the militant period,
the time of real command and lead
ership, begins.
Our President has not waited for
times to come right, as did his prede
cessor, but through the New Deal
he is forcing the hand of time; calling
into use the best brains and beet
organising ability; growing more in
sistent and more and more success
ful. until today we feel we are on
the road to happy days.
♦ * * *
If it be said that the New Deal does
not create material values, but is
only a method of the distribution of !
wealth, the sociological answer is that j
distribution is necessary in order that
other social processes may go on. It
is not only a plan to Increase wealth
by distributing it to the worker as
payment for his labor, but a plan to
transform material wealth into social
wealth. The New Deal introduce· a
new element Into co-operation. It
seeks what the sociologut seeks, the
betterment of society—that U. a society
of the future. It seeks to draw men
together as moral forces, whose high
est alms lie in seeing that his fellow
man gets a square deal. It seeks to
prevent the pathological conditions
into which our country was plunged a
tew years ago. It seeks to have the
development of our country proceed in
an orderly manner, without any fu
ture violent changes in our industrial,
financial or social relations.
If the primary symptom of falling
health In a body politic is lack of op
portunity, then opportunity, indus
trial and opportunity of every other
sort, for each individual is the aim of
the Government. Obviously, it fol
lows that anything that promotes the
well-being of the individual is a bene
fit to our Nation as a whole.
If the New Deal enable* men to
succeed by giving them an oppor
tunity to earn money with which to
live and pay their debts and to work
out larger plans for themselves: if it
adds to wealth by distributing it to the
worker for hi· hire: If it enable· men
to develop along normal lines, without
any violent wrenches, which tend to
throw development out of gear, then
it supplies the condition and force#
for a normal and healthy develop
ment.
Perhaps poverty can never be ban
ished by the New Deal, but we can
see how, to the confusion of an old
adage, it can be made a fault and
generally akin to a crime.
The New Deal is a new standard.
The old standard· are gone. It la *
new patriotism. It is not the patriot
ism of a hundred years ago. which is
as much out of date as the stage
coach, hut a patriotiam whose follow
ers extend the full length and breadth
of our country. A patriotiam of the
people, by the people, for the people.
The Political Mill
Ëy G. C*uU Lincoln.
With million* of potential voters «η
the relief roll· thla year there U tre
mendoua Interest In «bat these men
and women «111 do at the poll· No
vember ·. The general assumption of
many Democratic leaders In many
States is that they will support the
New Deal Democratic candidates. It
Is not likely, it Is urged, that these
people on relief «ill bite the hand
that feed· them. It 1· not human na
ture. This line of argument is baaed
on the belief that those receiving re
lief «111 have the idea firmly im
planted in their minds that only
through a continuance of the New
Dealers In office «ill they keep right
on receiving relief. Democratic ora
tors point to the speeches of Repub
lican spellbinders demanding that
the expenditures by the Government
be cut down and the budget balanced.
How, the Democrats say, can you
eut Government expenditures to the
bone and keep on feeding and caring
for the million· on relief roll·? They
do not suggest that the Republicans
are aiming at the billions of dollars
which are being expended for all kind·
of projects outside οt the straight
relief of the destitute.
» » # »
It seems quite obvious that if all
the voters "on relief' east their votes
(or Democratic congressional and sen
atorial candidates, the O. P. O. can
look for few gatns and perhaps con
siderable losses on election day. They
would appear to hold the balance of
power in many States and congres
sional districts, perhaps all of them.
There is something particularly re
pugnant to American ideals that a
Government should be kept in power
merely because of Its ability to hand
eut a dole to a very large number of
citizens. On the other hand, no one
would desire that these people on re
lief should be allowed to sutler or
starve. The Democrats cannot be
blamed for feeding them. But they
can be blamed for trying to convince
these voters that only through a con
tinuance of Democratic control can
they hope for relief.
♦ * * *
X SIC UfUIUVU tUBI mu icunci·
will vote together for the New Demi
Democrat* ta strongly disputed In
Republican quarters. Τ bey are doing
their beat to show that millions of
these men and women are more
anxious for work than they are for a
dole: that the New Deal has failed
to provide jobs, except Government
Jobs, in great numbers, and that
there are more people on relief and
out of work this November than there
were a year ago. Some of the more
cynical politicians are saying, pri
vately however, that too many of the
people on relief, having had a taste
of living off the Government—the
public funds—prefer to keep on with
that style of living rather than return
to the more arduous life at work.
It doea not seem possible that this
can be widely true. However. If an
administration had many of that
kind of clients, it might keep Itself
In power indefinitely, or until the
money to feed these clients ran out.
* * * *
Under the caption. "A Political
Myth." the Columbus Dispatch, In
an editorial published following the
primary elections in Ohio, declared
that the assumption the voters were
purchasable through relief and other
eleemosynary activities of the Gov
ernment had been disproved by the
election returns. There is no reason
to believe, the editorial continued,
that because State and Federal ad
ministration had been advancing
money to people in distress those
who find themselves in this unfor
tunate position feel under any obli
gation to vote for the hand which is
temporarily feeding them. It adds:
"Franklin County provides a per
fect example of the proof. In this
county there are approximately 11,
000 families which for many months
in the past have been receiving some
of the public funds distributed both
front Washington and from Ohio,
and who will continue to receive
them for many months to come.
This number of families should con
tain at a conservative estimate be
tween 20.000 and 35.000 voters.
"Yet when the appeal was made by
Congressman West that be ought to
be supported for the Democratic sen
atorial nomination because he «as
the representative of the political
school and administration which
have made poeaible current relief
measures, he was definitely rebuked.
"In a total county vote of about
84,000, Mr. West received 5,180, or
about 1 vote in 12 of the total cast
and about one in five of the number
of voters wbo are on the relief rolls."
* * * *
In Missouri, just lor example, there
were ιυ4,428 iamines on relief in
August and 16.191 single persons. Of
course, » great many of these person*
on relief are probably of the Demo
cratic faith, for Democracy has flour
ished strongly in Missouri. They
could not be accused of selling their
political convictions for relief funds.
It would not be fair to do so. That
would be true of Democrats in other
States. However, there is every rea
son to believe that a lot of the re
liefers are Republicans, or so-called
independent voters, and they might
be influenced.
• * * *
As in other campaigns, there is
talk today about the "silent vote"
and what it is going to do. Both
partie· are hopeful that this silent
vote is going to be favorable to their
candidates. It is difficult to predict
how the cat will jump, simply because
the vote is silent. Tbe Literary Di
gest poll would indicate that the
silent vote is swinging away from the
New Dealers. In many of the States
and cities there is a large registra
tion this Fall, very large considering
that this is an oil year, with no presi
dential election. Here and there a
local condition seems to explain this
unusual registration, as in Indiana,
where a new law provided for can
vassing the men and women of voting
age to get the m registered. The ean
vassers were paid a nickel a head,
so to speak, for registrant· on their
list. However, there h much interest
in the outcome of the elections, gen
erally speaking.
* * * *
California has more ideas for new
wrinkles in Government than a dog
has fleas. One of tbe strangest is
that advanced by Dr. M. E. Townsend,
a physician in Los Angeles. In'brief,
this plan provides for a $200-a-month
pension to all citizens 60 years of age
or more who do not have criminal
records. This money cannot be laid
up by the recipient, however, and
must be expended each month; The
sponsors of the plan assert that
1A,000.000 person· In the country
would be eligible for ' this pension,
bringing about an expenditure of
».00·,00·,000 by them each month.
Not only would the superannuated be
taken care of by this plan, but It
would stimulate spending and busi
ness and lift the country out of the
depression. The followers of the
Townsend plan have sprung up Ilk·
mushrooms. Tbe project has bee·
indorsed by mast of the Southern
California congressional candidats·
and Got. Merrlam, the Republican
candidate for Governor against the
radical Upton Sinclair. Merriam as
serts that it is In line with the Re
publican platform calling for old-age
a
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
BY FREDERIC J. HASEJN.
A reader can get the answer to
any question of fact by writing
The Evening Star Information Bu
reau. Frederic J. Haakrn. Director,
Waahingtoa. D. C. Plea*· Inclose
■tamp lor reply.
_______ »
Q What newapaper vu the fltst
to eatahttah a titcbea of lta own for
teatln( recipes'—H. M.
A. The New York Herald Tribune
Initiated thla Idea IT yeara ago with
the creation of lta Home Institute.
Q. What la the pMfe that the
churches are asking people to sign
regarding the movlea?—L. R.
A. The heart of the pledge la the
following atatement: "J declare my
purpose to remain away from all mo
tion pictures which offend decency
and Chrlatlaa morality."
% How much money baa been
spent by rial tors to Chicago during
the World'a Pair?—P. W.
Α. Ζ ί Chicago Association of
Commerce estimates that A Century of
Frogreas Exposition has been respon
sible for the expenditure of 1750,.
MM,000 In Chicago by rial tors since the
fair opened in 1(33.
Q. Where c*n I |et » eoociie, up
to-date description of the forms of
government in various countries?—
H. r.
A. "Outline of Governments" by
Roger Shaw, foreign editor of the Re
view of Reviews, published by the Re
view of Review» Corp.. New York City,
1934, not only describes the various
governments, but gives a resume of
the history, civics, economics, and
men of the nations.
Q Why are more immigrants per
mitted to enter this country from
Northern Europe than from Southern
Europe?—P. O'C.
A. "Recent Social Trends" explains
is as follows: "Designed to favor cer
tain groups of nationalities, it encour
ages the Nordic racial types of North
western Europe and restricts the Med
iterranean and Alpine typea of South
ern and Southwestern Europe. This
policy selects a physical type which
closely resembles the prevailing stock
In our country, for about >5 per cent
of the whites In the United Statea in
1 >34 were from strains originating in
Northwestern Europe where Nordics
predominate."
Q. How far from Washington was ;
President Hoover's BspMsn camp?—
Ε J.
A. By airline It is M miles. By |
highway It is *6 S miles over one road
and 100 Vx miles over another.
Q. How did the Mallet type of rail
road engine get its name?—Ε. B. P.
A. It was first proposed by Anatole
Idallet, a native of Switzerland.
Q. What country is called the South
American Denmark?—H. C. M.
A. Uruguay has been given this
name.
Q. How much money did school chil
dren have in school savings deposits
last year?—M. P.
A. Pot the year ending June 30. 1934.
they had deposited <10.737,505. Of
this, tl.375.307 remained at the end
of the achool year.
Q. What oath of office, If any. does
the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
require officeholders to take?—
T. A. McO.
A. The Ambassador of the Onion of
Soviet Socialist Republics says there
is no oath of office for civil branches
>f the administration In the Union of
Soviet Socialist Republics. Persons
•ho enter the Red Army are required
to take an oath.
Q. How many marriage ceremonies
ire performed In this country without
ι religious service?—J. K.
A. It Is estimated that about 25 per
cent of the ceremonies are merely
civil rites.
Q What rivers are crossed by the
James River Bridge system?—8. C.
A. The James, Chuckatuck and
Nansemond Rivers. The three bridtes
with their approaches, operated by one
corporation, constitute the longest
highway bridge system in the world.
Q Who Is president of the National
Aeronautic Association?—T. W.
A. Senator William O. McAdoo has
recently been elected to the office,
succeeding Senator Hiram Bingham.
Q. In what place In Virginia Is the
memorial tree known as the Westover
Oak?—C. M.
A. The massive oak tree knows as
the WMtover Oak lUnda In Norfolk,
Va. The Norfolk Garden Club in
1923 purchased the lot on which the
tree standi for $12.000. the money
being donated by pupils in the public
schools, members of the club and other
tree lovers. The tree is not only a
memorial to the American soldiers who
lost their lives in the World War, but
it serves to stimulate interest in the
preservation of beautiful shade trees.
Q. Whs·, do the initials of the word
"Epic" stand for?—K. L.
A. The Initials stand for the words,
"end poverty in California."
Q. Of what nationality are the
people of Paraguay?—Ε. H.
A. The people are of mixed Indian
ind Spanish blood, speaking Spanish
and Guarani.
Q To what amount are pennies,
nickels and dimes considered legal
tender?—P. M.
A. At the present time they are
legal tender in any amount.
Q Why is Belgium called the cock
pit of Europe?—Ν. Β.
A. It Is because so many battles
have been fought on Its soil.
Q For whom is the Morris Plan
Banking System named?—Ε. B.
A. It takes Its name (τon a lawyer,
Arthur J. Morris, formerly of Norfolk.
Va, but later residing in New York
City. The company began operation
on llarch 33, 1110, with the modest
capital of «20,000.
Q. Which is the oldest of the Eng
lish colonies?—A. P. T.
A. The British dominion of New
foundland is the oldest. It has been
in the possession of England sine· Its
discovery by John Cabot in 14Π.
Q. If a crime is committed on the
high seas in what country is the case
tried?—E. S.
A. It is tried under t£e jurisdiction
of the nation whose flag the ship flies.
Q. Why is the Arctic Ocean so
named?—T. M.
A. It is from the Greek word,
"arctoa," a bear, the reference being
to the northern constellation of the
Great Bear.
Navy Aid for Merchantmen
Has National Indorsement
Plans to «end naval officers voyag
lnc oo merchant ships to check on
Ore and boat drill» and other meas
ures for the protection of passenger»
are welcomed by many editor·. With
the Morro Castle fresh in mind the
public demands that something be
done to make another such tragedy
impossible.
"Merchant seamen may growl long
and loud at the announcement."
thinks the Owensboro ( Ky i Messen
ger. "but the public generally will ap
plaud." The Messenger adds: "That
the toll of lives in the Morro Castle
disaster would not have been so great
had there been an efficient, disciplined
organisation prepared to meet the
emergency goes without saying in the
light of disclosures made during the
recent investigation. More than one
poor battleship seaman, awakened
from a sound sleep during the mid
watch by the stentorian 'All hands
abandon ship,' has thought this ship
drill thing could be a trifle overdone.
But it has shown dividends. It is im
possible to imagine such scenes of
confusion and excitement aboard a
naval vessel as were described as tak
ing place aboard the Morro Castle."
"Something needs to be done," ac
cording to the Charleston < W. Va.)
Dally Mail, "to prevent a repetition
of the Morro Castle tragedy, and the
use of naval officers is among the
most promising ideas brought forth
by the disaster." Discussing other
means of assuring safety, the Daily
Mall offers the suggestions: "The
Federal Steamboat Inspection Service
is suppoaed to see that ships are
equipped with a sufficient number of
lifeboats and other safety devices to
take care of all passengers in case of
disaster. It Is able to exercise little
oversight or control, however, over
the crew in the way of seeing that
they are properly acquainted with
their duties and capable of perform
ing these in the proper way. The use
of traveling safety Inspectors would
offer a way of accomplishing this.
And it probably would be hard to find
men better equipped for this service
than naval officers, highly trained in
discipline and proficient in safety
procedure."
"It looks like a useful service." says
the Topeka Dally Capital, "that naval
officers can perform, at least until
merchant ships are brought up to old
time standards. Naval as weH as Army
officers seem to be utilised for some
desirable civilian purposes. The Army
is looking after the valuable work of
the C. C. C-. and the Army, in fact, is
somewhat disintegrated by allocation
of regular officers to training men as
officers of the national military re
serve. R O. T. C.. etc. Some earnest
pacifists even want them to help in
police service."
"It ia an exceedingly sensible move."
in tbe opinion of Ute Seattle Star,
while the Ann Arbor Daily News com
ments: "The watchful eyes of trained
naval men can be depended upon to
detect any flaws in equipment or con
struction. And a taste of discipline
after the naval manner might not hurt
crews that tend to get confused and
panicky in tine of crisis."
Observing that the case of the
Morro Castle la not entirely typical
of the character of the American mer
chant marine, the South Bend News
Ttaaas finds cause for satisfaction in
in lary· atiafcm would be removed
fro·» amptojraaent and their places
opened up to Um younger workers.
It looks, however, as though there
would be a lot of grief for the ad
ministrators who sought to put such
a plan into effect. And there might
be a lot of lying about ago·, one way
or another.
4
the conduct of Capt. George Preid,
"hero of a dozen Atlantic rescue*, who
continue· on his placidly epic course."
The News-Times offers the statement
of his fitness for the position that he
holds as a ship's officer: "Capt. Preid
stopped his liner lone enough to save
five men from a crippled seaplane.
The news account says the boat was
put off In a moderately heavy se»
How remarkable are these matter-of
fact American aeamen. Blow high or
blow low, Capt. Freid and hundred· of
others like him are ready at a mo
ment's notice to swerve from their
course into the teeth of danger to ef
fect an act of mercy. In a day when
great liners race for a minute's advan
tage, men like Preid will continue to
sacrifice a week If necesaary and their
own lives to save the life of cne in
trouble. In this way the American
merchant marine once achieved great -
! ness. In this way, despite the Morro
Castle catastrophe. American seamen
will again sail the Nation to eminence
I in maritime affairs.'*
Marriage-Divoree Reform.
From tht Philadelphia Evening Bulletin.
Nothing done by the Episcopal Gen
eral Convention at Atlantic City is
likely to attract a greater degree of
public attention than it* action on
the marriage law of the church. It
: has before it the report of its Cotn
! miasion on Marriage and Divorce, of
I which such prominent laymen as
! Roland S. Morris and George W.
Wlckershsm are members, along with
; leading bishops.
The commission, admitting the
[ present canon satisfies neither party
ι in the church, advises against any
essential change at this time, and
pleads that the changes made In the
so-called liberalisation of the mar
riage law by the last general conven
tion should have further study before
they are altered. The point la atresaed
that modern condiUona require edu
cation for marriage, and the educative
process In this field is so new that
1 it is too early to see the results of
its application. Only one alteration
of the canon is advised, that clergy
men be permitted "for weighty cause*
i to waive the provision requiring three
days' notice before a marriage may
! be performed, the changes of 1131
made no concession as to divorce,
but did liberalise the canon in other
ways, the bearing and significance
of which the commission thinks la
hardly generally realized.
While the decision of the church
is its own province, it Is of public
concern in its bearing on the stand
ards of society. As the study V>f a
social as well as a church problem
the report of the commission is nota
ble for candor and breadth of view,
and in its counsel for careful study
of the problems involved and avoid
ance of precipitate action might serve
as a model for those dealing with
purely secular problems involving so
cial change. The divergence of views
of conscientious persons wltnin the
church itself suggests the Imprac
ticability, at this time, of a national
civil law on divorce attempting to
reconcile the varying standards of 48
States.
Percussive,
Λ·· Mm m>r*v«aort Journal.
The Senate committee probe Into
the munitions business, as waa to be
expected, has caused several explo
stone.
Hardly!
Fro· the Toted· Blade.
It'll soon be time to put up th·
•term doors at Indiana prisons. And
maybe that will hold them. .